Lecture: 2

2-Cuisines of Middle East

Upon completion of this chapter, you will be able to:

 explain what makes the cuisines of the Middle East unique.
 discuss the significance of religion in the cuisines of the Middle East.
 understand common cooking methods used in traditional Middle Eastern cuisines.
 Recognize common recipes found in the cuisines of the Middle East.
 Produce a variety of recipes common to Middle East.

Introduction

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Mediterranean cuisine is

 the food that comes from the countries and cultures on the Mediterranean Sea,
 The Middle East makes up a large swath of the globe, spanning parts of three
continents. But the region’s cuisine is often misidentified as simply Mediterranean
food.
 While there are certainly similarities, the culinary traditions of the Middle East—
from Egypt in the west and Turkey in the north to Iran in the east and Yemen in the
south—embody tastes and textures different from those of the Mediterranean foods
of Europe and North Africa.
 Many foods are shared by the Middle East and other Mediterranean regions,
including flatbreads, roasted skewered meats, and filled dough items. That in part
has to do with history, wars, and cultures rising and falling
 the large body of water that lies between Asia, Europe and Africa.
 The world’s earliest civilizations bordered the great sea, which is no surprise due to the
region’s temperate climate and rich soil.
 Agricultural pursuits have always thrived in the Mediterranean, which has led to a
culinary tradition featuring an abundance of fruits and vegetables.
 Since ancient times, the Mediterranean Sea has played an important role in transporting
travellers, merchants and their goods throughout the region. This allowed the people of
the region to share culinary traditions with one another, leading to many commonly used
ingredients.

Middle Eastern cuisine is the cuisine of the various countries and peoples of the Middle East.
The cuisine of the region is diverse while having a degree of homogeneity. It includes Arab
cuisine, Egyptian cuisine, Iranian cuisine, Israeli cuisine (Jewish cuisine), Assyrian
cuisine, Armenian cuisine, Kurdish cuisine, Greek cuisine ,Cypriot cuisine and Turkish cuisine.

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Some commonly used ingredients include olives and olive oil, pitas, honey, sesame seeds, dates,
sumac, chickpeas, mint and parsley. Some popular dishes include Kebabs, Dolma, and Doner
Kebab (similar to Shawarma).

These cuisines are ancient and strongly influenced by the history, religion, and cultural identities
that unite and divide the populations of the Middle East.

History

 The Middle Eastern countries have spread their influence in the culinary field
during periods of conquest and invasion.
 The Middle East has long been a region of turmoil‫رابات‬..‫اض‬, both politically and
religiously.
 The crusaders ‫الحمله الصليبيه‬who descended on this region during the Middle Ages brought
some of their own traditions with them, and they stayed in some areas for nearly 200
years.
 As the crusaders returned to Europe, they brought with them the culinary influences they
had experienced during their time in the Middle East.
 Muslim armies occupied Spain and Sicily for hundreds of years.
 Following the expulsion ‫ خروج‬of the Arab armies from Spain, the Spanish exported many
culinary techniques and ingredients to the Americas (having been influenced themselves
by the Middle Eastern peoples).
 Throughout these periods, the customs and cuisines of the Middle East spread across
much of the world.
 The Middle East is the birthplace of much of what is taken for granted in parts of the
Western world today.
 The significance of the religions that exist in this region—Judaism, Islam, and
Catholicism are all represented

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 Although Middle Eastern cuisines undoubtedly have left their mark on many other
countries, the development of these cuisines was also influenced by other cultures. The
following section examines the more distinct of these influences, including some that are
interregional ‫اقليميه‬.

Ancient Greece
 Some of the earliest influences on the development of Middle Eastern cuisine came from
the Greek incursions ‫ توغل‬into this area during Greece’s rise as a civilization.
 The ingredients that were consumed in the Middle East during this period include
cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, garlic, lentils, fava beans, garbanzo beans‫الحمص‬
‫( الشامي‬chickpeas" refers to the English name for the food while "garbanzo" is the
Spanish name for them)., olives, figs, grapes, dates, almonds, and walnuts.
 The Greeks spread many of these ingredients deeper into the Middle East than their
native range, and they took these ingredients back home with them.

Persian and Roman Empires

 The Roman Empire provided expertise in the spread of agriculture.

 The Romans are largely credited with providing the structure and experience in irrigation
that allowed not only the spread and greater yield of local indigenous produce but also
the inclusion of new foods from distant lands in the local crops.
 This increased productivity and food wealth assisted in the development of more
sophisticated cuisines.
 The Persian royalty began a tradition of enormous feasts that included such familiar
foods as polou and chelou (two primary methods of Iranian rice cookery), dolmas and
kebabs (techniques acquired from Turkish nomads), marzipan ‫وز‬..‫ه الل‬..‫عجين‬and stuffed
dates, and the use of ingredients such as yogurt, quinces‫السفرجل‬, and honey.
 This period also saw the development of the sophisticated and artful use of spices and
fine rice cookery in early Persian cuisine, which is still a hallmark ‫سمه مميزه‬of the cuisine

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 of Iran to this day.
 Some of the early spices used by the Persian Empire include cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg,
and mace‫ قشره جوز الطيب‬from the Indonesian islands, and cumin, coriander, and fennel
from the Mediterranean.

The Emergence of Islam

 Prophet Mohammed of Arabia died in the year 632, and his followers began the spread of
the Islamic faith.
 The Islamic Empire went on to include all of the Middle East, northern Africa, much of
western Asia, Spain, Sicily, and parts of Eastern Europe at the height of its power.
 During this period, many of the ingredients common to the Middle East began to work
their way into the cuisines of Europe and Asia.
 Sugar traveled from India into Europe;
 Rice extended from India into parts of the Middle East that weren’t already using
it (Iran, Syria, and Iraq grew it already) and into Europe (specifically, Spain).
 Ingredients that made their way from the conquered lands into the Middle East included:
 dried and salted fish, honey, and hazelnuts from Eastern Europe;
 cheeses, wine, chestnuts, and saffron from the Mediterranean countries;
 and spices such as pepper, ginger, cardamom ‫ان‬..‫ حبه‬, cinnamon, cloves‫ القرنفل‬,
nutmeg, and mace, which spread further out from their rooted homes in Persia.

Ottoman Empire
 The Ottoman Empire was based in present-day Turkey and included most of the present-
day Middle East, as well as parts of Eastern Europe, northern Africa, and western
Asia.
 This vast empire spread many of its customs and culinary traditions into these lands, and
it also brought a number of new ingredients and other culinary aspects into Turkey and
beyond.

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  Some of the Turkish culinary contributions that spread with the Ottoman Empire include
 the simmering of foods in meat broths,
 the soup-making tradition,
 the stuffing of foods (for example, grape leaves),
 and the honey-soaked pastries for which the Turkish pastry chefs are
renowned.
 These customs became common throughout the Middle East and beyond during this
period,

During the reign of the Ottoman Empire, the city of Constantinople (present-day
Istanbul) developed into a site of grand culinary feasts and banquets.
The rulers of the empire and the nobility held well-documented events that
included hundreds of dishes and greatly impressed visiting guests from Europe
and other countries. Many of the dishes found in the descriptions of these events
are enjoyed in countries throughout the Middle East today and are embraced as
part of this complex cuisine that so many call their own.

UNIQUE COMPONENTS
VIP

These cuisines are ancient and strongly influenced by the history, religion, and cultural identities
that unite and divide the populations of the Middle East.
Some of the distinct components of these cuisines are:
 Influence of Religious Edict
 History
 Balance of Sweet and Sour
 Baking, Simmering, Stewing, and Fire Roasting
 Wheat and Rice: Grains of Life
 Spices

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Influence of Religious Edict

Religious beliefs in the Middle East have had a dramatic affect—more than in most other places
—on the diets of the population. Whether this entails the avoidance of pork, alcohol, or any
improperly slaughtered animal for a Muslim; the periods of fasting for a follower of the Jewish
faith; or the period of avoidance of meat during the Lenten months for a Christian, religion
reigns strongly in this region of the world.

History
This region has made some of the most important contributions to the culinary world. It was
here that agriculture is believed to have originated in the eastern world, bread was first
produced, beer was first fermented, yogurt was accidentally made, and the three major
religions and their dietary restrictions originated. The historic importance of this region to the
religions of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity have made this region home to many of the strictest
followers of those religions, and thus to the dietary habits that accompany close
adherence ‫االلتزام‬to the edicts of these religions.
Characteristic features of Middle East Cuisine:
1-Balance of Sweet and Sour:
The cuisines of the Middle East often display a skillful art of combining sweet and sour
components that balance the acidity of one with the sweetness of another, to allow the
aromas of each to be highlighted. This unique combination spread from this part of the world, as
the Persian and (later) the Ottoman empires spread across Europe and Asia. Many classic
European dishes display these combinations, perhaps as a direct result of the influence of the
Middle East.

Some examples of the sweet ingredients commonly used are:

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Figs, dried apricots, dried currants‫عنب مجفف‬, peaches and pears, sugar, dibs (reduced grape
juice), pomegranate molasses‫دبس الرمان‬, and other syrups.

Some of the sour ingredients common to these cuisines include:

sumac, pomegranate seeds, dried limes, lime and lemon juice, and verjuice ‫عصير العنب‬
‫(الحصرم‬unripe grape juice).
Many of these sweet-and-sour components are found in a number of preparations in Middle
Eastern cuisine, including in many meat dishes, a characteristic that often helps to identify foods
from this region. These contrasting elements are used with great skill in these cuisines, and the
unique combinations can be seen in many dishes—from rice dishes to stews and even desserts.
1- Cooking Methods:
Baking, Simmering, Stewing, and Fire Roasting
 The cooking methods most common to the cuisine of the Middle East include: baking,
simmering, stewing, and fire roasting.
 Historically, much of the cooking in the Middle East has been done over an open fire or
fire source or in a communal oven, and these methods are employed in the majority of
methods from this region.
 Today, foods are often cooked in an oven at home,
 Although in many rural parts of the Middle East, the communal oven is still in use.
 Bread is included with each meal, and this baking tradition has lent itself to the many
slow-simmered stews and braised dishes that can be cooked using the same heat source
used to bake the bread.
 The outdoor fire pit that was so common

2- Wheat and Rice: Grains of Life

 Rice and wheat make up the majority of the diet within this region.
 Bread is the most common starch used in the Middle East, and it plays an important role
in the daily meal patterns of most homes.
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  Flatbreads are used as a utensil in the typical meal, and as such they are part of most
meals.
 Bread is sacred in the Middle East; a piece of bread dropped on the ground will surely be
picked up by the next passerby, who will place it out of harm’s way while reciting a
prayer.
 Many varieties of bread are found here, but most of them are yeast-leavened flatbreads
that accompany every meal.
 Wheat is also used in the form of bulgur and couscous in many parts of the Middle East.
 Rice has similar importance in the parts of the Middle East where it is the focal point of
most meals.
3- Spices

The Middle East’s position between Asia and Europe has played a significant role not only in
the development of this region and its role in many conquests throughout history but also in that
it became the route through which spices from the Orient traveled to Europe. Such spices as:
Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, peppercorns, tamarind, ginger, turmeric, and mace.

These spices are mixed with the spices indigenous to the area, which include fennel, coriander,
and cumin, resulting in a taste that has long been appreciated by visitors from other countries.
Thyme and thyme blends (za'atar) are common in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine,
and a mixture of dried thyme and sumac (crushed sour berries) is a common breakfast item with
oil and bread. Sumac is also sprinkled over grilled meat. Garlic is common to many dishes and
salads.

The use of these spices, along with the spices of the Americas that were introduced later (chiles
and allspice being the most significant), has resulted in many spice blends common to Middle
Eastern cooking today.

4- Flavorings

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 Butter and clarified butter (also known as smen) are, traditionally, the preferred medium
of cooking.
 Olive oil is prevalent in the Mediterranean coastal areas.
 Christians use it during Lent, when meat and dairy products are excluded, and Jews use it
in place of animal fats such as butter to avoid mixing meat and dairy products.
 Parsley and mint are commonly used both in cooking and in salads.
 and chili peppers are used occasionally, especially as a separate sauce or as a pickle
5- Meat

 Lamb and mutton have always been the favored meats of the Middle East.
 Pork is prohibited in both Islam and Judaism, and as such is rarely eaten in the region.
 Prominent among the meat preparations are grilled meats, or kebabs.
 There are a wide variety of these grills, with many regional specialties and styles. The
most common are the cubed cuts on skewers, known as shish kebab in most places.
 Chicken may also be grilled in the same fashion.
 Another common variety is kofta kebab, made from ground meat, sometimes mixed with
onions and spices, shaped around the skewer like a long sausage and grilled.
 Kebabs are typically a street or restaurant food, served with bread, salad, and pickles.
 Meat and vegetable stews, served with rice, bulgur, or bread, are another form of meat
preparation in the region.
 Kibbeh is a pie or dumpling made with meat and cereal. The most common are made
with ground meat (typically lamb) and burghul, worked together like a dough, then
stuffed with minced meat that has been fried with onion, aromatics, and, sometimes, pine
nuts or almonds and raisins. This can either be in the form of individual small dumplings
(usually shaped like a torpedo), or in slices like a cake, baked on an oven tray with the
stuffing placed between two layers of the dough.
 One variation is kibbeh naye, raw kibbeh, which is made by pounding raw meat and
burghul together with seasoning and served with dips of lemon juice and chili sauce.

6- Vegetables
 Tursu are the pickled vegetables of the cuisines of many Balkan and Middle East
countries.

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 Vegetables and pulses are the predominant staple of the great majority of the people in
the Middle East. They are boiled, stewed, grilled, stuffed, and cooked with meat and with
rice.
 Among the green leafy vegetables, many varieties of cabbage, and spinach, are widely
used.
 Root and bulb vegetables, such as onions and garlic, as well as carrots, turnips, and beets
are equally common.
 Squash, tomato, eggplants, and okra are distinctive elements in the cookery of the region.
 Eggplant is often fried in slices and dressed in yogurt and garlic, or roasted over an open
fire, then pulped and dressed with tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice, garlic, and cumin, a
dish known as baba ghanoush.
 Tomato is the most ubiquitous ingredient in Middle Eastern cookery. It is used fresh in a
variety of salads, cooked in almost every stew and broth, and grilled with kebab.
 Beans and pulses are crucial to the diet of the region, second only to cereals. Fava beans
are eaten both green and dried.
 Dried, they are boiled into one of the most popular Egyptian foods- ful medames, a
domestic and street food, eaten for breakfast or any other meal, mashed and dressed in
oil, lemon, and chili. Similar dishes are found in all other parts of the region.
 The famous Falafel, now popular in Europe and America, was originally made from dried
fava, crushed and formed into a rissole with herbs and spices, then fried. It is also made
from chickpeas or a mixture of the two.
 Green fava are cooked like other green beans, boiled and dressed in oil, or stewed with
meat.
 The haricot beans and black-eyed beans are also common. Lentils, split peas, and
chickpeas are widely used in soups, with rice, in salads, or with meat. Hummus, made
from chickpeas and sesame paste, originated in Syria and Lebanon.
7- Dishes
 Meze is a selection of small dishes served to accompany alcoholic drinks as a course or
as appetizers before the main dish in Arab countries, Turkic countries, and Iran.
 Stuffed vegetables are a dish most associated with the Middle East in the popular mind.
They are commonly called dolma, the Turkish word meaning "stuffed," but also the
Arabic mahshi. Grape leaves, chard, and cabbage are stuffed with rice, ground meat, pine
nuts, and spices, and then stewed in oil and tomato. Many vegetables are similarly stuffed
and stewed or baked, such as squash, onion, tomato, eggplant, peppers, and even carrots.
 Mezze is common throughout the Middle East. It consists of a number of small dishes
that are picked at leisure: cheese, melon, nuts, various salads and dips, such as tabbouleh,

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 hummus and mutabbal, pickles, and also more substantial items, such as grilled meat,
kibbeh, and sausage.[4]
 Arabs commonly consume milk, fresh or soured. Yogurt, a Turkish contribution, is
commonly consumed plain, used in cooking, used in salad dressing, or diluted as a drink.
White cheeses, like the Greek feta and haloumi, are the most common in the region.

SPICE BLEND As in many other cuisines, spice blends are commonly used in Middle
eastern recipes. This blend provides the typical flavor profile of many
Arab dishes and works well for a number of recipes, including the
preserved lamb fat
Za’atar MIDDLE EAST This spice blend is common throughout the Middle East, where it is
used to season flatbread dipped in olive oil and as a seasoning
mixture in recipes. This is a wet version in which fresh herbs are used
and are emulsified with olive oil, yielding a somewhat different
version of the Middle Eastern classic. The traditional za’atar is made
by crushing dried herbs between the hands, sifting the resulting

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 powder, and combining it with sumac and crushed sesame seeds to
yield a dry and coarse mixture
that can be used.
Qawrama SYRIA, Qawrama is a common cooking medium in both vegetable and meat
LEBANON, AND IRAQ dishes in Arab cuisine, and it provides a unique flavor to dishes. In
the Middle East, the species of sheep commonly used are varieties
that have very thick and fatty tails—the tails are used to make this fat.
A significant amount of salt is used in making this, to assist in
preservation, which needs to be taken into consideration when this fat
is used. This fat can be used to cook lamb kafta or any of the many
meat and dried fruit stews that are common to Middle Eastern
cuisine; it provides
additional flavor and texture.
Dibs Rim’an There are several types of pomegranates in the Middle East, and some
LEBANON/SYRIA of the sour varieties are used to make a thick syrup that is used to
season a variety of dishes, including combinations with eggplant and
muhammara, a seasoned walnut paste that is enjoyed with flatbread in
Lebanon.
Torshi Limu IRAN/PERSIA These Persian specialties are a common accompaniment to many
common Persian dishes, such as polous and kebabs, and they are
pretty easy to make. Use seedless limes, and only make these during
drier months of the year to prevent potential spoilage.
Taratoor MIDDLE EAST This versatile sauce is common throughout the Middle East, where it
(SESAME SAUCE) is used as a dip for fried foods, as a seasoning in other recipes, and to
accompany fish.

Baba Ghanoush ARAB This well-known vegetable purée is often served as a starter as part of
COUNTRIES a mezze table and is common in all of the Arab countries of the
(EGGPLANT PURÉE WITH Middle East, where eggplants are held in high esteem.
SESAME AND LEMON
Fool Mudammas EGYPT Fool mudammas is a very popular Egyptian breakfast dish that is
eaten throughout the Middle East today. The type of fava bean (also
called broad bean) that is used to make this has a brown skin and is
smaller than the typical dried fava bean found in the United States.
Look for smaller fava beans, if possible, and serve with a flatbread
and olive oil.
Ta’amia or Falafel EGYPT This is an ancient dish that has been popular in Egypt—and now the
rest of the Middle East—for centuries. Fava beans have a tough skin
on the outside that covers the two segments of the inner beans, and
this recipe requires dried beans that have had that part removed prior
to drying. These are white-grey in color and may be labeled “split
fava” (or “broad”) beans. If only the typical brown-skinned variety
that still contains the skin is available, it will be necessary to cook the
beans for a bit to soften them, and the resulting strained and puréed

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 paste will need tobe pushed through a drum sieve to remove the skins.
Tabbouleh This well-known salad utilizes the abundant and very common fresh
LEBANON/PALESTINE herbs that are used in the fertile Mediterranean region of the Middle
(BULGUR AND HERB East. Bulgur, wheat that is cooked, dried, and then cracked to varying
SALAD) sizes, is also a common ingredient in this part of the Middle East.
Kibbeh LEBANON AND This is considered one of the best dishes throughout much of the
SYRIA Middle East, and it is prized for its quality of ingredients—much as
(POUNDED LAMB AND the similar steak tartar is prized in European cuisine. This is
WHEAT) traditionally made by pounding together the meat and the soaked
bulgur wheat to produce a paste that is then seasoned and served with
traditional Arab flatbread.
However, because this is an impractical procedure for most kitchens,
the following recipe calls for freshly ground lamb instead of pounded
lamb. If the traditional texture is desired (it has a pastier texture due
to the pounding versus grinding), it can be achieved by pounding the
lamb and soaked bulgur using a large mortar and pestle. Because this
is an uncooked recipe that uses meat, it is very important to buy high-
quality meat from a respected purveyor and follow strict sanitary
guidelines throughout.
Etli Biber Dolmasi Turkish cuisine is well known for its stuffed dishes, including this
TURKEY one.
(STUFFED GREEN
PEPPERS)
Dolma Vine leaves: rolled to perfection.

Imam Bayildy TURKEY This is a very well-known vegetable dish from Turkey whose name
(EGGPLANT STUFFED means “the imam fainted,” an apparent reference to an imam (Islamic
WITH TOMATO) scholar) who was overcome by the quality of this creation.

Sis Kebabi TURKEY This Turkish specialty is believed to have been invented by the
(SKEWERED GRILLED nomadic tribes that would cook their meat over a fire while traveling.
LAMB) There are many varieties of sis kebabi throughout Turkey and the
Middle East (and beyond); this preparation method has found fans all
over the globe.
Pilaf TURKEY The Turkish method of cooking rice has long been followed in many
RICE PILAF WITH other parts of the world, and it is a common component of classic
CURRANTS AND PINE culinary preparations in cooking schools across the United States. The
NUTS rice pilaf found in professional cooking texts is based on this method,
in which rice grains are coated in fat and fried slightly before being
combined with hot stock and cooked covered. This recipe includes
some of the seasonings that are commonly used in Turkey to make a
classic pilaf.
Chelou PERSIA/IRAN This common preparation for rice—a traditional method used in Iran
(CRUSTED RICE IN STYLE and other parts of the Middle East—results in crust-layered rice that

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OF PERSIA) provides both texture and flavor to the finished product. This method
of cooking rice is unique to this region (specifically Iran) and
contrasts with the Turkish technique of cooking rice, which is
commonly taught in culinary schools as rice pilaf. The traditional
varietals of rice used in Iran—ambar-boo and darbari—are difficult to
find in the United States but are
aromatic long-grain varietals like basmati and jasmine.
Manakeesh The pizza of the Arabic world, manakeesh is a round bread sprinkled
with either cheese, ground meat or herbs (zaatar). It's ideal for
breakfast or lunch. Varieties come from both fancy Levantine
restaurants or street vendors.

Grilled halloumi These mini-slabs of chewy goodness are made from goat and sheep
milk. Unlike other cheeses, no acid or bacteria is used during
processing.

Tabouleh You don't have to be a vegetarian to enjoy this magical combination

of bulgur, parsley, mint, onion and tomatoes. But watch out, you just
might be tempted to switch teams after a steady diet of this popular
salad
Moutabal/baba ghanoush Baba ghanoush comes in a variety of styles.
Just when you're ready to declare hummus the best dip on the planet,
you find moutabal. Similar to baba ghanoush, the dip offers a similar
consistency with an eggplant kick. Spiced up with chili.

Fattoush Simple ingredients, magical combination. This tangy salad is one of

the Middle East's greatest contributions to world culture. Crispy
lettuce, crunchy fried squares of pita, diced tomatoes, cucumbers and
onion, garlic, lemon, olive oil and mint make for a refreshing
addiction.

Umm ali Egypt's most delicious pudding.

Egyptian bread pudding, or umm ali, is a hearty pastry cooked in milk
and cream. Versions are made with croissant pieces, raisins,
pistachios, vanilla and condensed milk.
Shanklish Crumbly cheese rolled in herbs.
This cow or sheep milk cheese is usually fashioned into golf ball-
sized bites and rolled in zaatar herbs or chili flakes (the latter version
favored in Syria). Also often enjoyed with diced tomato, onion and
olive oil.

Shawarma Shawarma: One of the prettiest sights in the world.

No, shawarma wasn't invented as a hangover cure. But the tender bits
of skewered chicken, garlic puree and salad wrapped in pita have
made it a beloved post-session snack the world over.
Shish tawook Shish tawook: it's all about the marinades and condiments.
Served with pure garlic paste, this simple skewered chicken dish is
hugely popular in Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Iraq and the Gulf region.
Dishes are served with fries and pita bread.

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 Kofta Common in Iran and Pakistan, these balls of minced lamb or
beef have a spicy, onion kick.
You can fry, grill, barbecue or bake the patties, but they're best
served with a distinctive spicy sauce. In the Arab region, you'll
find them in cylinder shapes, often on a stick.

Quwarmah Al Dajaj Curry veterans, this may be a new one for you.
Known to most as Kuwaiti curried chicken, the zesty dish is
made with a blend of Middle Eastern flavors and spices -- lime,
ginger, turmeric, baharat, cumin, cardamom, black pepper,
cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika -- that combine to give it a
distinctive pop
Mansaf Mansaf is practically the national dish of Jordan.
The small version of this Jordanian and Palestinian dish looks
like a pizza covered with a lamb carcass, while a larger banquet
variety can cover a whole table.
Despite the intimidating appearance, the tender mutton, covered
in yogurt sauce and sprinkled with almond and pine nuts, makes
for a culinary masterwork.

Baklava Baklava: sticky and sweet.

Buttery filo pastry, chopped nuts, sweet syrup and honey
dressing -- made from a recipe that dates to the Ottoman
empire, it's no wonder baklava is one of the most enduring and
beloved dishes on the planet.
Knafeh Knafeh: savory cheese flavor, crunchy pastry crust
This delicious cheesecake uses Nabusi cheese, which is
common to Palestine, Syria and Lebanon. The blush coloring
comes from orange blossom water or rose water.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Explain what makes the cuisines of Middle East unique.?

2. What were two empires that had a significant influence on the cuisine of the Middle
East?
3. Name one dish that can be traced to each.

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